Freshly sharpened pencils, new backpacks, and school supplies are starting to fill stores again. A new school year is right around the corner, and with each new academic year, there is an opportunity to foster collaberation. Back-to-school season is a great time to start thinking about collaboration if your child has an IEP. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a specialized plan to help students with disabilities in the classroom. Each year the student will have an annual IEP meeting, where goals are updated, and new supports are put in place as needed.
As a parent or caregiver, you are a very important member of the IEP team. IEP meetings can be intimidating or feel overwhelming. Below are a few tips to help you feel more equipped during an IEP meeting and help you establish collaboration with the IEP team.
Know who is on the IEP team
When you walk into an IEP meeting, there will more than likely be several people in the room, and it is important to understand each of their roles and how they will help your child. Each IEP team should have a general education teacher, a special education teacher, an administrator, and related service professionals as needed such as an occupational therapist, speech therapist, or physical therapist. The general education teacher is typically a classroom teacher while the special education teacher is the individual that is responsible for providing the intervention or direct special education instruction. The administrator is typically a principal or assistant principal who will ensure the school and district are following all the different parts of the IEP. Each team member should be present for an IEP meeting, and you can ask to reschedule if someone is not there when the meeting starts. Each professional will offer a different perspective on how to best help your child.
Remember YOU are a team member
It can be overwhelming to walk into a meeting with several professionals, but it is important to remember the caregiver or parent is a team member as well. You offer a unique perspective on your child and may see different needs or behaviors outside of the school day. It is so important that you share your dreams, goals, and concerns about your child during the meeting. It may be helpful to write down what you would like to be covered in the IEP prior to the meeting. You can email the IEP team and share any insight you have before the meeting. You can also ask questions about goals, services, and supports. If you don’t understand any part of the IEP, make sure to ask. You can also take the IEP home and review it before signing the IEP after the meeting. Just remember you are on the team for a very important reason and your voice matters.
Introduce yourself to the IEP team
Typically, with each new school year, there will be probably new members on the IEP team. A great way to start the new school year is to reach out to the IEP team and ask who the best person is to contact if you have questions. You can also send an email introducing yourself, any updates that happened over the summer, and the best way to contact you. You can also share any goals you have for your child this school year. This is a great way to start communication and is also a helpful way for the IEP team to get to know you. Strong communication among the IEP team is so important, especially for students with disabilities. Always feel free to reach out to the IEP team anytime you have concerns or questions. You can also always call an IEP meeting outside of the annual meeting if you have additional concerns or feel like the goals need to be updated.
Keep communication ongoing and frequent
Communication among IEP team members helps each person know how to best support the student. After introducing yourself at the beginning of the school year, it is important to keep the IEP updated on any new concerns you may have throughout the school year. This could include any new medications or medical needs your child has, any new behaviors you are seeing at home, and new schedules or life changes at home. Sharing this information frequently helps the IEP know how to best support your child in the classroom. You will get updates on the IEP goals each quarter but if you want an update sooner, always feel free to ask. When you review the progress reports, if you do not understand any part of the update, make sure to ask the IEP team or call a meeting to discuss.
IEPs and a new school year can be overwhelming but know that you are not alone in this process. The IEP team wants the best for your child and your opinion matters. If you need more resources or more information about the IEP process, feel free to reach out to us. We would be happy to provide resources and information. Remember, a new school is a fresh start and a new opportunity for your child to grow throughout the school year.